Lots of Spring activity at Dove Stone this week...
Great spotted woodpeckers carrying nesting materials, as sure sign Spring is on the way, seen at Binn Green, along with 30+ siskins, a redpoll and the usual colourful chaffinches and tits.
Meadow pipit and grey wagtails at Ashway Gap with ravens displaying overhead. The pintails and oystercatchers are still on Dovestone Reservoir along with a brief sighting of a cormorant.
Thanks to our Monday volunteer Rich for this update!
The pond in the woods below Binn Green is full of croaking frogs - Ken - another of our amazing volunteers spotted 24 on Sunday (thanks for this info and for the photo below!)
For those who care to take a closer look, Ken also spotted an unusual fungus at Binn Green growing as a parasite on a lichen with the exotic name physcia tenella. The tiny fungus, with the even more unusual name marchandiomyces aurantiacus (I won't try and say that one!), was fruiting which is also rare to see.
Something else worth a look are the really rather attractive new bat boxes, which have been installed by 2 regular volunteers, Jess and Stuart, on a tree at the bottom of the Binn Green steps. Hopefully these should attract some activity over the coming months, so watch this space (or even better, watch the boxes for signs of life!)
That's it for now - more to follow soon!
Miriam Biran
Visitor Experience Manager, Dove Stone